Bright gold flashes appeared as the Master Chief, the Doom Slayer, and 343 Guilty Spark teleporting into the main entryway of The Library. They both quietly made their way, following Guilty Spark as more Flood started jumping down from various entry points. The Doom Slayer noticed more flood combat forms coming up from behind as the Master Chief was occupied with a few. He jumped into action, slamming onto one into the ground and blasting another with his combat shotgun. He continued ripping and tearing through several more flood combat forms as he and the Master Chief advanced through the massive complex.
"We are near the Index chamber. Follow me." 343 Guilty Spark said, floating above the duo of destruction. "The energy field above us contains the Index. We must get up there." He said, floating up to a large locked security door. "The security doors have sealed automatically. I will go access the override to open them." He said before floating away.
The duo waited for a few minutes as they both checked their weapons, gear, and armor to make sure it is in working order. The Chief loaded a few more shells into his shotgun then turned after hearing the large door slowly open and the hums of Guilty Spark floating above them.
"Please follow closely. This portal is the first of ten." Spark said.
They both continued following Guilty Spark through the facility fighting wave upon wave of combat forms and infection forms.
"Puzzling. You both brought such ineffective weapons to combat the flood, despite the containment protocols." Spark mentioned as they continued down the flood infested chamber only to speak once more; "The Flood must not escape the installation. They will consume all."
They continued down another long corridor of the Library only to be met by more Combat and infection forms. After clearing out the corridor, the Doom Slayer carefully examined another flood corpse. Looking at how these are much different and dangerous than Hell's demons he's encountered before.
"You can see how the body has been transformed by the genetic restructuring of the flood infection. The small creatures carry spores that cause a host to mutate. The mutated host then produces spores that can pass the Flood to others. It is insidious and elegant. As long as any hosts remain, the Flood is virulent." Guilty Spark explained to the Reclaimers, leading them down another hallway where both Chief and the Doom Slayer noticed Sentinels hovering in to deal with more Combat forms by the first elevator.
"These Sentinels will suppliment your combat systems, but I suggest you upgrade to at least a Class Twelve combat skin. Your current model only scans as a class two, which is ill suited for this kind of work. Whereas your freind's combat skin remains a mystery to me and also ill suited as well." Guilty Spark explained as the Chief and the Doom Slayer boarded the Elevator.
Exiting the elevator, the two juggernauts turned into the next hall of the second floor. Hearing the noise of Guilty Spark hovering above them as they reached a locked door.
"Flood activity has caused a failure in a drone control subsystem. I must reset the backup unit. Please continue on. I will rejoin you when I have completed my task." Guilty Spark said before floating away.
"Great." Master Chief mumbled also hearing the Doom Slayer growl in agreement.
They waited only to hear that strange noise they heard back at the containment facility. Prepared to fight another wave upon wave of relentless combat forms until Guilty Spark came back and the door opened, leading them into a opened chamber. The Doom Slayer and the Chief walked out to the edge, looking up to see a strange blue glowing elevator-like pad. They heard the loud combat from behind as the Flood and the Sentinels fought each other in that long corridor.
"How bout we go this way?" The Chief suggested, jumping up the side pillar that encircled the large Index Chamber.
The Doom Slayer silently agreed and followed him, turning around every few seconds just to check if any flood combat forms are following. As they reached the next door, he thought for a moment knowing there might be more Flood in the next corridor.
"Yes? Do you need something?" The Chief asked.
The Doom Slayer silently nodded, unhooking his lightsaber from his belt, offering it to the Chief.
"You sure?" The Chief asked only to recieve a silent and freindly gesture of 'yes' from the Doom Slayer.
He turned on the lightsaber, starring at the red blade as it lit up the section of the hall. Hearing the humming of Guilty Spark from above then quickly turned it off as the large door opened.
"Your environment suits should serve you well when the Flood begin to alter the atmosphere. You're both good planners." He said while the Chief and the Doom Slayer reached the next elevator.
"I would conjecture that the other species currently on the isntallation is responsible for releasing the flood. They seem most persistent in their attempts to access restricted areas." Guilty Spark explained as the Chief and the Doom Slayer walked around the cavernous halls, reaching another locked door.
"Hmm... strange. It seems a sentinel production system is now producing snack food. I conjecture it's those other two reclaimers who are responsible. I will return." Guilty Spark mentioned before floating away.
"Heh, at least I know it's not just the Covenant nor the Flood causing trouble." The Chief snickered.
Meanwhile on the third floor of the Library, Jeff and Gary were busy finishing off their snacks while they walked around. Hearing familiar loud revs of a chainsaw, gunfire, and explosions echoing through the large halls.
"Wow. Doomguy and the Chief are really kicking ass." Jeff said, mentioning the noise.
"Yep..." Gary replied, taking another hit.
"Hey good call on leaving before that blue droid came back." Jeff said, thanking Gary for the quick thinking.
"Thanks bro. That name, Guilty Spark. It makes you wonder if he's guilty of something." Gary replied.
"Yeah... I guess he's guilty of being an asshole. Kinda got that vibe from him after he teleported us here to this place." Jeff said, taking another hit from Gary's joint.
"Speaking of which... What the hell is this place?" Gary asked.
"Well Spark did call this place the Library, but I didn't see one book lying around while we're walking." Jeff explained reaching the next elevator. They boarded the elevator and rode up to the last floor then quickly exited. Walking through the large halls as they reached the last door that lead directly into the Index Key Room of the facility.
"Wow. What the hell are these things? TV screens?" Gary wondered as he and Jeff starred at the blue screens.
"Yeah, I've been wondering about that too. There were tons of these along the way here." Jeff said then thought for a moment, laying his DC-15A blaster rifle against the slanted edge of the screen. "Maybe we should look around." Jeff suggested.
"Hmm, good idea. There must be something here we can do." Gary agreed, then started searching around the sides of one blue screen.
Gary mumbled to himself as he searched around the strange blue screen. Finding a locked panel on the side wall, he bashed it open to see a bunch of knobs and buttons labled in a strange language that is alien to him. Though being the curious stoner he is, he started messing around with it while Jeff gave him feedback of his progress.
"Did that work?!" Gary yelled.
"Naw, it went to a black screen again with more stupid alien symbols." Jeff replied.
"Hmm... push this thing and turn this doo-hookie. Anything?!"
"Yeah the screen turned green again... wait... Now it's back to blue."
"Um what about this button and try this thingy... Anything yet?!"
"The blue screen turned into a white static screen and now those stupid alien symbols are back again."
"Fuck." Gary cursed as he fumbled around with the controls, till he found a strange glowing green button. "Huh? Ooo what's this?" Gary curiously wondered, then pushed the button.
"Now it went to back to black and now there is a... loading bar?" Jeff replied, scratching his head.
"A loading bar?" Gary asked, looking back at Jeff.
"Yeah. The screen says it's loading. I don't know what for though." Jeff shrugged.
Jeff watched the loading bar finish loading and the screen turn back to a white static, a few colors, noticing the screen clearing up into a blank screen with static only found on a empty station. Jeff continued watching the screen turn back to blue before it fizzled into a movie. He yelled over to Gary and they both sat down on the floor to watch the strange but familiar movie playing on the Forerunner screen. They laughed and made goofy comments while watching the long film. After it ended, the screen fizzed out back into static making Gary stand back up to fix it while Jeff gave technical support. He watched the screen fizzle back and started to hear loud heavy metal rock thumping into the hall.
"Yo! Do you hear that?" Jeff yelled.
"Yeah! Where's it comin' from?!"
"Bro! You're not gonna belive this" Jeff yelled, looking at the screen to see flashing scenes of Stormtroopers thrashing drums.
"No way! Rock Trooper Hero!" Gary gasped.
"Found the guitars! Let's rip and tear!" Jeff yelled.
"Hell yea!" Gary yelled, starting up the first music notes of Rip & Tear following the notes on the screen.
The Master Chief and the Doom Slayer fought through the unending horeds of Flood as they pushed through the facility. Reaching halfway, both the Doom Slayer and the Chief heard the thumping thrashing of heavy rock music echoing through the cavernous halls. They followed the loud thrashing through the long halls, fighting through another thicket of combat and infection forms. Reaching the final elevator, they enjoyed the small break while hearing another song starting.
"Final elevator. Weapon check." The Chief said, pulling out his M6 sidearm. With the Doom Slayer following suit, checking to see if his weapons are still functioning and wiping off the green blood & guts from his chainsaw.
Fourth Floor: Tools, Guns, and Hello darkness, my old freind.
The Master Chief and the Doom Slayer were ready for the final onslaught of Flood who were waiting for them on the final floor. Hearing the volume of the heavy rock metal slowly become louder and louder as they pushed through the chamber. Dodging gunfire, plasma, and SPNKr rockets as they pushed deeper into the chamber that lead towards the main chamber where the Index is being held. 343 Guilty Spark also heard the loud, echoing music that thumped through his facility while he floated around the tunnels, finding both the strange Reclaimers who are busy wreaking havoc upon the flood.
"Oh hello, Reclaimers. The Index is nearby. Please follow me. The Flood are already hard at work repairing your vessel. It's parasitic nature belies the Flood's intelligence." Guilty Spark said, making the Chief wonder about it only to realize the harsh reality that the Flood may have taken over the Pillar Of Autumm.
He closed his eyes for a few seconds to clear his mind while he and the Doom Slayer rip and tore through another wave of Flood. Splattering green blood over the floor and drenching their armor with the blood of their enemy. Making the Flood wail and scream for more over the loud heavy metal rock still being played. 343 Guilty Spark waited for the reclaimers to arrive at the large door that lead into the Index Chamber. Wondering where the loud music is coming from. He turned over to see the other two reclaimers in white armor who were busy banging their heads to the eardrum blasting music.
"No! How... How dare they beat my score!?" Guilty Spark screamed in anger, watching his name being moved down to fifteenth place on the scoreboard which only infuriated him even more.
"Hey bro! We've beaten his score and we're gettin' a bonus round!" Jeff yelled, pointing at the screen.
"Sweet. What song is it?"
"Don't know, it's a mystery song."
"Great. It could be anything. It could be Darth Maul's number one hit, "My Dark Soul" or that annoying song from that cantina on Tatoonie!" Gary complained.
"Wait, it's a singing duo song. The Sounds of Silence. Huh? Never heard of it." Jeff said, positioning his guitar over to a comfortable position before playing the song.
"Well, whatever it is. It has a nice dark tone to it. I like it." Gary said, playing the begining notes of the song.
"Hello darkness, my old friend..." Jeff and Gary softly sang in unison. Moving their hips to the song as they sang and played the short song. After ripping and tearing through the last remaining flood combat forms. The Master Chief and the Doom Slayer heard the soft guitar music and followed the music to see Jeff and Gary singing along while playing to it. After the song eneded, Jeff turned his head over to see both Doomguy, Guilty Spark, and the Chief quietly starring at him and Gary.
"Bro? Bro?" Jeff said, patting Gary's shoulder to get his attention.
"What?" Gary asked, only looking over to see two exhausted supersoldiers and Guilty Spark silently starring at them. "Oh hey guys! What's up?!" Gary waved at them.
The Doom Slayer slowly clapped his hands ending the awkward silence in the chamber while the Chief looked at him then back at the troopers. The Chief shrugged his shoulders before walking away with Guilty Spark to retreive the index. The Doom Slayer quietly waved over at the guitar holding troopers silently signalling at them to move out.
"Fine. Let's go." Gary sighed in annoyance.
"Hey don't fret over it bro. Just be happy we've beaten blue droid's score and it'll take a millenia to get up there." Jeff explained, pointing to the very high score numbering in the trillions.
"Hmm, you've got a point. As long as he's pissed, I'm happy." Gary said.
"Speaking of which, does he get angry? With droids you can't really tell until they get up close and personal." Jeff wondered while they both followed behind Doomguy onto the lift inside the Index Chamber.
"The energy barrier surrounding the Index will deactivate when we the ground floor." 343 Guilty Spark spoke, floating behind the Master Chief.
The Chief walked over to the Index, which is held in a unknown compartment. A series of blocks unlock on the sheath, popping the Index out of the top. He removes it closer to examine it for a moment before 343 Guilty Spark zapped it away from his hands. Storing it into his compartment somewhere on his robotic body.
"Protocol requires that I take possession of the Index for transport. Your organic form renders you vulnerable to infection. The Index must not fall into the hands of the Flood, before we reach the Control Room and activate the installation." Guilty Spark explained, marking everyone around him for teleportation before yelling, "The Flood is spreading! We must hurry!" as everyone were teleported away.